Frequently asked questions

Where is the Great Fen?

The Great Fen is situated in the fens of north Cambridgeshire, between Huntingdon and Peterborough. Holme Fen National Nature Reserve in the north of the project area can be accessed from the west via Holme village, or from Ramsey St Mary's in the East. Woodwalton Fen National Nature Reserve in the south of the project area is accessed from Chapel Road at the southern end of Ramsey Heights, near Upwood.

What is the project hoping to achieve?

The Great Fen is one of the largest wetland restoration projects in lowland England. It will be a beautiful fenland landscape of more than 3,700 hectares (9,000 acres) between Huntingdon and Peterborough creating a haven for wildlife and a massive green space with opportunities for recreation, education and business.

Why do we need the Great Fen Project?

All of the other projects going on in the Fens are welcomed by the Great Fen Project. These other sites, such as the RSPB/Hanson project at Needingworth and National Trust plans at Wicken Fen have been put together in a strategic plan for the Fens as a whole. This strategy was agreed at the Fens Water Forum, held on 13th November 2001. The projects all deliver a variety of benefits, such as nature conservation, access and flood prevention. Together they will significantly raise the profile of the Fens in East Anglia and East Midlands.

Furthermore, the Great Fen will solve the site-specific issues affecting Woodwalton and Holme Fens in a way that these other projects could not.

Who are the project patrons. I’ve heard that Stephen Fry and Nigel Marven involved?

Actor, comedian and writer Stephen Fry has been the President of the Great Fen Project since 2006.

TV presenter and wildlife enthusiast Nigel Marven is one of the Patrons of the Great Fen Project.

He is joined in this role by other project patrons Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, Beth Rothschild and Sir John Major.

Will you force landowners to sell their land?

We can only achieve the project’s aims by buying land or working in partnership with landowners. Landowners do not have to sell their land if they do not wish to. This is why the project is a long-term one, as opportunities for purchasing land don’t come up very often.

Where do your funds come from?

In August 2007 the project was awarded a grant of L7.3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund the largest ever given for an environmental project in England.

Funds to acquire land and for other aspects of the project have also come from:
Landfill tax
Resources from within partner budgets
European funding such as Interreg and LIFE
Private donors

This list is not exhaustive. We may also be looking at commercial opportunities within the Great Fen, as long as they complement the access and conservation objectives of the project. Public funds have been used to achieve project aims, such as the acquisition and restoration of land. In such circumstances the project aims match local or national government priorities.

What is the project timescale?

The Great Fen Project is open-ended. Given the cost of the project it is likely to take a number of decades to be complete. In the mean time the partners intend for any significant step forward to bring about benefits for wildlife and people.

Is the project connected with the Wicken Fen Vision?

99.9% of the ancient undrained Fens has been changed to arable farmland and given way to the growth of towns and villages. Wicken Fen, along with Woodwalton Fen in the Great Fen project area, is one of the few remaining fragments.

The Wicken Fen vision to expand the reserve is being led by the National Trust. The history of Wicken Fen and Woodwalton Fen are linked as they were both established as nature reserves (and protected from drainage) in the early 1900s after they were acquired by Sir Charles Rothschild.

Although the Great Fen project is not directly connected to Wicken Fen scheme or other fenland restoration projects, all of the other projects going on in the Fens are welcomed by the partnership. These other initiatives, such as the RSPB/Hanson project at Needingworth and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s project at Thurlby and Baston, have been put together in a strategic plan for the Fens as a whole. This strategy was agreed at the Fens Water Forum, held on 13th November 2001. The projects all deliver a variety of benefits, such as nature conservation, access and flood risk management. Together they will significantly raise the profile of the Fens in East Anglia and East Midlands.

You can find out more the Wicken Fen Vision at www.wicken.org.uk

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